Metal shelving and method of making the same



Jan, 11, 1938. R. T. STOPHLET 2,105,206

METAL SHELVING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 26. 1935 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CW6 g F17 Z a fioer T Staph/e6 Jan. 11, 1938. R. "r. STOPHLET METAL SHELVING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 26, 19:55 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 11, 1938 r UNITEDSTATES PATENT orrice.

METAL SHELVING AND METHOD OF MAK- INGTHE SAME 7 Robert T. Stophlet, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The Toledo Porcelain Enamel: Products Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 26, 1935, Serial No. 13,094

Claims. (Cl. 113-116) This invention relates to metal shelving and its out into the shape illustrated in Figure II and principal object is the provision of a light, rigid provided with perforations such as 9, ll, etc., and shelf that is attractive in appearance, economical with the openings 18 and iii. If desired, the to manufacture and which will withstand high blank may be cut to shape and the perforations temperatures so that it can be vitreous porcelain andiopenings punched by means of blanking dies enameled without becoming distorted. in one operation. The stiffening bead 2 is prefer- Other objects and advantages will be apparent ably stamped or rolled into the blank after it is from the following description, in which reference out and punched, the blank thus assuming the is had tothe accompanying drawings illustrating form illustrated in Figure III. The marginal a preferred embodiment of my invention and beads 3 and 4 may be formed and the side flanges 10 wherein similar reference numerals designate 5 and 6 and end flanges l6 and I1 bent down in similar parts throughout the several views. separate operations, but where the quantities to In the drawings:-- be manufactured are large, the marginal beads 3 Figure I is a view in perspective of a shelf conand 4 may be formed and the side and end structed in accordance with my invention. flanges bent down by means of forming dies in the 15 Figure II is an enlarged plan view of a fiat same operation, the edges of the side flanges blank fro-m which the shelf shown in Figure I is being subsequently turned under as at 1 and 8. formed, the central part of the blank being broken The stiffening bead 2 will project downwardly, as

away. illustrated in the drawings, or upwardly, depend- Figure III is a view in perspective showing the ing upon the direction in which the side and end 20 blank after the first forming operation; and flanges are bent, but the shelf is preferably so Figure IV is an enlarged end elevational view formed that'the stiffening b a 2 W p o t of the shelf illustrated in Figure I. downwardly so as not to engagearticles placed Referring to the drawings in' detail, the shelf l upon the shelf. It is possible to bend downwardof my invention, though light in weight, is stiffly the end fla s 6 and of an t pr 25 ened so that it is capable of supporting heavy vided with ope Such as and but beloads without sagging, the stiffening means concause of strains set up in the metal of'blanksznot sisting of a bead or groove 2 extending longip ov With S ch openin s, W p e s liable to tudinally of the shelf intermediate its sides, maroccur when the blanks are subjected to the temginal beads 3 and 4 extending along the sides of peratur s r qui d t fuse at n s of vitreous 30 the shelf and flanges 5 and 6 depending from the porce enamel 1119011 t e marginal beads 3 and 4. Since either the flange The embodiment of my invention herein shown 5 or the flange 6 may form the front of the shelf, and described is to be regarded as illustrative the edges of the flanges are turned under, as at 1 only, and it is to beunderstood that the invenand 8, to enhance the appearance, and the flanges tion is susceptible to variation, modification and 5 are perforated, as at 9, In and II, to facilitate change within the spirit and scope of the subfastening of price tags thereto. joined claims.

Additional stiffness may be attained when de- Having described my invention, Iclaim:-- sired by providing two or more beads instead of 1. A sheet metal shelf having down-turned the single head 2. flanges at its ends and a longitudinally ex- 40 The corners of the blank from Which'the shelf tending bead intersecting the corners'formed at is formed are 01113 01113. a t l2, 3, l4 nd the junctions of said flanges with the body of and the ends of the blank a e do y the shelf, said bead being completely interrupted to form end flanges l6 and ii suitable for at-' by openjngs through th metal of t shelf t tach e t t uprights (not h In Order to the intersections of said bead and said flanges, 45 avoid Crowding the metal a ne the stiffening and a coating of vitreous enamel fused upon the bead. 2, and thus setting up'strain's which cause body of t m the shelf to Warp under the influence of high 2 The th d' f making a shelf which mp ra ures to which it is necessarily subjecte eludes the steps of cutting a flat blank of sheet when a coating of vitreous porcelain enamel is t having openings'therethrough adjacent its 50 fused upon it, openings l8 and I9 are out into the ends, forming stiffening b d i a d bl k, blank Wher e junctions of the end flanges said bead extending across and being completeand H with the body of the shelf will intersect 1y terrupted by said openings, and bending the stif e bead the ends of said blank to form flanges extend- In manufacturing the shelf, the blank is first ing in planes substantially perpendicular to the 55 plane of said blank and intersecting the plane of said blank along lines lying across said openings.

3. The method of making a porcelain enameled sheet metal shelf which includes the steps of cutting a flat blank of sheet metal having openings therethrough adjacent its ends, forming a stiffening bead in said blank extending across and being completely interrupted by said openings, bending the ends of said blank to form flanges extending in planes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said blank and intersecting the plane of said blank along lines lying across said openings, and fusing a coating of vitreous enamel upon the structure so formed.

4. The method of making a porcelain enameled sheet metal shelf which includes the steps of cutting a fiat blank of sheet metal having openings therethrough adjacent its ends, forming a stiffening bead in said blank extending across and being completely interrupted by said openings, bending the ends of said blank to form flanges extending in planes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said blank and intersecting the plane of said blank along lines lying across said openings, forming marginal beads extending parallel to the sides of said blank, bending the side portions of said blank into planes perpendicular to the plane of the body of said blank, and fusing a coating of vitreous enamel upon the structure so formed.

5. The method of making a porcelain enameled sheet metal shelf which includes the steps of cutting a flat blank of sheet metal having openings therethrough adjacent its ends, forming a stiffening bead in said blank extending across and being completely interrupted by said openings, bending the ends of said blank to form flanges extending in planes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said blank and intersecting the plane of said blank along lines lying across said openings, forming marginal beads extending parallel to the sides of said blank, bending the side portions of said blank into planes perpendicular to the plane of the body of said blank, bending the edges of said side portions inwardly into planes substantial- 1y parallel to the plane of the body of said blank, and fusing a coating of vitreous enamel upon the structure so formed.

ROBERT T. STOPHLET. 

